Flagship store opens on Oxford Street for 'ignored plus size shoppers'

The owners of a new Oxford Street store for plus-size shoppers opened yesterday, in time with the end of London Fashion Week (LFW).

Customers had felt ignored by the skinny obsessed fashion industry.

A three-storey London flagship store of the Simply Be and Jacamo brands stocks women's clothes in sizes 10-32 and menswear in small to 5XL.

The store was opened by former England cricket captain Andrew Flintoff who has battled with weight gain and bulimia and Candice Huffine who was the first woman to be included in the Pirelli calendar.

The store features a collection from the cricket captain called Flintoff by Jacamo along with brands such as Penguin, Voi jeans and Lambretta.

Female mannequins are size 16 which is average size for British women. Male mannequins are of a more athletic build. In-store images feature up to size 18.

Other features include fitting rooms are larger and a biometric scanner is available to match clothes to the body size and shape of each customer.

Opening a store on the high street means larger people can go shopping and not be made to feel uncomfortable. They can enjoy shopping and feel good that they can find their size and look good.

"One of the reasons large customers feel alienated and ignored by the fashion industry is that it has not designed clothes for them that are fashionable and enjoyable to wear"

London Fashion Week features it's first plus-size catwalk show from high street brand, Evans.

This is a big step forward for the fashion industry.


Candice Huffine - plus-size model